Looping and guiding device for rolling mills



July 31, 1928.

' I R. B. HANCOCK Lporme AND eumxue' mavrcs FOR ROLLING HILLS Filed Aug. 1923 3' Sheets-$heet l July 31, 1928.

R. B. HANCOCK LOOPING AND GUIDING DEVICE FOR ROLLING MILLS v Filed Aug. 192$ July 31, 1928. 1,679,304

R. B. HANCOCK LOOPING AND GUIDING DEVICE FOR ROLLING MILLS F Iiled Aug. 192s a Sheets-Sheet 6 these two latter mentioned brackets also being secured to the bar 25. The brackets 31 and 32 are secured to a cross-head mounted upon the piston 28 by means of a pin 36 so that as the piston is moved backward and forward the movable bar 25 is slid along the rods 19 and 22, thus opening and elosingthe channel formed between the two stands of rolls as the material is fed therethrough. At the rear end of the bed plate is an upstanding lug 37 having a bolt 38 in threaded engagement therewith, the said bolt having a lock nut 39 mounted thereon and forming an abutting member for the rear end of the piston 28 and determining its rearward movement. At the forward end of the piston is positioned a smaller lug l integral with the said bed plate .26 and which has a bolt l-l mounted therein with a lock nut d2 secured thereto which forms adjusting means for limiting the forward movement of the piston and securing the proper adjustment and feeding of the movable bar against the stationary bar El and insuring proper positioning of the guiding member with re spectto proper centering of the work-piece between the sets of rolls. Connected to the port at the rear end of the cylinder 27 is a pipe 43 leading to any source of steam pressure, compressed air or hvlraulic pressure supply and which is under the manual control of the operator of the device by suitable valve mechanism such as 68, such valve preferably being of the three-way type so that the pressure may be exhausted.

From the foregoing description, the general operation of the device will be understood particularly if it is desired to operate the device manually, but because of the speed of travel of the material from one stand of rolls to another I have found it desirable to provide an automatic device for controlling the opening of the channel or guideway through which the material is fed from one roll stand to the other in order that the material may be properly fed into the set of rolls and allow for the looping" of the material between the roll stands. To perform this function I provide a pressure operating mechanism and connections therefor to the movable in r 25 and a hinged bar -14 which projects upward through the bar 25 and is mountedupon a square trip shat t 45, the said member -14 having a downwardlyprojecting portion 46 to which a spring i7 is attached, the said spring being attached at its opposite end to the bracket 25," and which serves the purpose of normally holding the member 44. upward in the path of a bar which is fCdtTl'II'OUQlI a channel in the guide 23. Mounted upon the bed 26 is a bracket 48 on the outer end of which is a second bracket 49 within which the squared trip shaft is positioned and upon which secured a pawl 50. Secured to the port 29 and the cylinder 27 is a pipe .71 having a three-way valve 52 positioned thereon upon which a disk 53 is mounted, the said valve having a supply pipe 5-1 connected thereto and leading to any suitable sonrce of hydraulic pressure, steam or compressed air supply, and also having an exhaust pipe leading therefrom through which the pressure is exhausted from the forward end of the cylinder 27 through the port 29. The disk 53 has a pin :36 projecting upward therefrom and also has a slot 57 at one of its sides within which is mounted a pin 58 the outer end of which secured to the bracket 18, the pin 58 acting as a stop as it engages the disk at one end or the other of the slot 57. ()n the lower side of the disk 57 and projecting downwardly therefrom is another pin 59 upon which a spring (30 is mounted and which anchored at its stationary end upon a pin tit mounted within the bracket -18. Mounted upon the cross-head 35 is a catch (52 projecting outward and downward from the said cro -s-head 35 and in position to engage the pin 56 extending upward from the disk 53 as the piston moves back and forth. A pin (33 projects upward from this catch and has a spring (it positioned there on which is anchored upon a second pin 67; mounted in the inner end of the ln'acket 32. The catch (32 is mounted in a recess in the crosshead 35 so that it has a pivotal movement about a bolt 66 upon which the catch is mounted and is held in abutting engagement with the rear side of the recess 65 so that it is capable of being moved relative to the cross-head in one direction only, that is, against the spring 6t so that. this catch will operate the disk only when the cvlinder is moving backwards.

In Figure 6 illustrated a modified form of guiding bar comprising a pair of members (59 and 70 each of which is U-shapc .l in cross-section and which are positioned in side to side engagement with each other in closed position forming a guiding channel Tl therethrough and which are operated by suitable separating means such as has been descriliied heretofore and by means of which one or two of the bars may be moved with relation to, the other.

In operation it will be understood that as a strip of material leaves the rolls 13 and t5 and enters the guiding number 23 the two members 25 and 24 have been brought together in closed position by the operator admittinc pressurethrough the pipe -13 by means of a three-way valve 68 to the rear of the cylinder 27. so that the piston is leftin its forward position, the valve 68 being thereupon reversed to exhaust and the valve 52 from the previous stage of operation being turned so that the pressure is exhausted from the forward end of the cylill) llltl lac point 66,

indcr 27. the strrp reaches the member: 44 this mem her is turned down, rotating the trip shaft i5, which releases the pawl 50 fronra proection 6T i'ormedonthe upper 'edge of the disk 53, whereupon-the disk 53 is pulled around and closing the exhaust-and openingthe valve 52, so that-pressure is admitted into the forward end of the cylinder 27 and overcoming the pressure in the rear of the cylinder, which may be exhausted by opening the *alve 68, thereby pulling the movable bar '25 away'from the/bar 2d and open ingl'lie trough so-that the material, which by-this time-has been fed forward-into the second set of rolls, is thereupon released iroin the-trough and allowed to feed freely irom one set of rolls to theother and looping in any manner that maybe desiredowing to the difference in speed of travel of the set of rolls or form-1y other reason." As the piston 28 forced buck bythe admission of pressurent the forward side thereof to the valve 52 the catch 62 engages the pin 56 and 7 turns the-valve back into the exhaust position, whereupon the pawl 50 engages the projection 67 on the disk 53 and holds thevalve in exhaust or open position until such time as the sequence of operationsdescribed above takes place again.

It will be understood that as soon as the bar 25 ismoved baclr the member 44 will be pulled from under the workpiecevwhich being rolled andthis member will be pulled into position where it projects forward into the channel, bringing the pawl 50 downwardwhere it will engage the projec-* tion 67 upon the disk 53.

The piston has an over-travelso that the disk is turned far enouglrso the pawl is sure to enc'agethe projection '67 and uponthe cylinder being returned the catch (52 passes by the pin 53 by reason of the spring 64 allowing the catelr62 to turn'upon the pivot The piston is then allowed to re main in stationary position until the next strip of material is fed from the rolls, whereupon the same sequence of operation takes place as heretofore described.

lVhile I have described more or less precisely the details ofconstruction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I-contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the'substis tution of equivalents ascircumstances may suggestor render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim 1. In combination a pair ofroll stands, a

guide extending between saidroll stands, the guide COHIPI'ISIDQ' apair of separab e members one of saidmembers having; a

channel therein and means controlled b the passage of the bar through the said channel whereby tie member having the channel As soon 'asthe forward end f therein is pulled away from theothermember, the members being separable in a horizontal direction whereby clearance is. allowed to a bar passing between the roll stands. j

2. In combination with a pair of roll stands, a guide extending betweensaid roll stands comprising a pair of separable members one of said members having a channel therein, means for moving the member-having the channel therein, whereby the guide is opened and tripping; means in said guide operated by the passage of the bar through the said guide whereby the said means for moving the said separable memher is actuated, the members being separable in a horizontal direction whereby clearance is allo 'ed to a bar passing between the roll: stands. I

3. In combination with a pair of roll. stands, a guide extending between said roll stands. the said guide comprising a iJ- shaped member having a channel at one side thereof and a normally stationary second: member, means for actuating said 'U-shaped member and tripping means controlled by the passage: of the bar. through said channel adapted to controlrthe openingofthe said channel, the'U-shaped member being moved away from the stationary member in a horizontal direction and-outof the path of a bar passing between the roll stands.

a In combination, with apair of roll stands, a guide member extending between said roll stands, supporting means for said guide member, the sa d guide comp a pair of separable members one of said menr bers having an open side recess therein, means whereby the member havingthe recess therein is moved toward and away from the other member comprising the guide, the member having the recess therein being' moved away from the stationary member in a horizontaldirection and out of the path of a bar of metal passing between the roll stand.

5. In combination with apair .of roll stands, a guide membercomprising a stationary member and a movable guide memher having a longitudinally extending chan- 1 nel therein, an operating cylinder, eonnections for said operating cylinder and said movable guide member and means for admitting an operating fluid to said cylinder and exhausting the same therefrom 1Z0 whereby the said movable guide member is moved toward and away from said stationa nien'ib'er in a horizontal direction.

In combination with pair offroll' stands, a guide memberextending fromone 2 roll stand to the other, support members for said guide nienib the said guide member being composed of a normally positioned. stationary member and a movable member having a longitudinal extended channellau therein adapted to be moved toward and away from said stationary member, an operating cylinder for said movable member, connections from said cylinder to said movable member and an automatic tripping device'for admitting pressure to said cylinder and moving said movable guide member away from said stationary member in a horizontal direction.

7. In combination with a pair of roll stands, support members mounted upon said roll stands, a longitudinally separable guide member positioned upon said support members and comprising a normally stationary member and a movable member having a channel therethrough, a cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder, connections between said piston and the movable portion of said guide member and an'automatic tripping mechanism whereby pressure is admitted to said cylinder and the movableguide member pulled away from the stationary member at predetermined times and out of the path of a bar passing between the roll stands.

8. In combination with a pair of roll stands, of a normally closed guide member extending from one stand to the other, support members for said guide member, the said guide member being composed of a normally stationary member and a movable member having a guide slot therethrough, a cylinder a piston in said cylinder, means for admitting pressure to the rear of said cylinder, and automatic means for admitting an exhausting pressure from the forward end of said cylinder by the passing of a strip of material through said guide member and out of the path of the strip of material passing through the said guide member.

9. In combination with a pair of roll stands, of a normally closed guide member extending from one stand to the other, support members for said guide member, the said guide member being composed of a normally stationary member and a movable member having a guide slot tberethrough, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, means for admitting pressure to the rear of said cylinder, automatic means for admitting an exhausting pressure from the forward end of said cylinder by the passing of a strip of material through said guide member, and means for limiting the travel of said piston.

10. In combination with a pair of roll stands, a bodily adjustable guide member positioned therebetween comprising a normally stationary member and a movable member having a channel therein positioned in side to side contact with said stationary member when said channel is in closed position, supporting shafts at each end of said guide member upon which the said guide member is slidably mounted and means whereby the said movable member is moved toward and away from the said stationary member, thereby closing and opening the said channel.

11. In combination with a pair of roll stands, a bodily adjustable guide member positioned therebetween comprising a normally stationary member and a movable member having an open-sided channel therein positioned in side to side contact with said stationary member when said channel is in closed position, supporting shafts mounted upon the roll stands upon which the said guide member is guidedly mounted, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, and connections between said piston and said movable portion of said guide member, means for admitting a fluid pressure at the rear of said piston adapted to bring the portions of said guide member in side to side contact with each other, a fluid pressure supply line to the forward end of said cylinder, and an automatically operated valve controlling the admission of a pressure fluid to the forward end of said cylinder and exhausting pressure therefrom.

12-. In combination with a pair of roll stands, a bodily adjustable guide member positioned therebetween comprising a normally stationary member and a movable member having an open-sided channel therein positioned in side to side contact with said stationary member when said channel is in closed position, supporting shafts mounted upon the roll stands upon which the said guide member is guidedly mounted, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder and connections between said piston and said movable portion of said guide member, means for admitting a fluid pressure at the rear of said piston adapted to bring the portions of said guide member in side to side contact with each other, a valve held in normally closed position when said guide member is open and means whereby the said valve is automatically closed when a strip of material reaches a predetermined position in the said guide.

13. In combination with a pair of roll stands, a bodily adjustable guide member positioned therebetween, comprising a normally stationary member and a movable member having an open-sided channel therein positioned in side to side contact with said stationary member when said channel is in closed position, supporting shafts mounted upon tie roll stands upon which the said guide member is guidedly mounted, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, and connecttions between said piston and said movable portion of said guide member, means for admitting a fluid pressure at the rear of said piston adapted to bring the portions of said guidemember in side to side contact with each other, a fluid pressure supply line to the forward end of said cylinder, a valve held in normally closed position when said guide channel is open, a-disk secured to said valve for operating the same, a spring secured to said disc'adapted to normally close the said valve,'a trip connected to said channel operated by a strip of material passing therethrough and a catch secured by the forward end of said piston adapted to turn said alve into closed position by the backward travel of the said piston;

14. In combination with a pair of roll stands, a pair of longitudinally extending U-shaped members in side to side relation with each other, supporting means at each end of the said members, and means whereby the said members are moved into engagement with each other forming a closed guiding channel and a reversal of operation of the said means moving the members out of engagement with each other and opening the said channel.

15. In combination with a pair of roll stands, a guide member having an open sided channel therein, a second guide member normally held in stationary position alongside of the first mentioned guide memher, support members positioned at each end of the said guide member, and means operated. by the passing of a bar through the said guide member whereby the guide member having the channel therein is pulled out of the path of a bar of metal passing between the roll stands. 7 v

Signed at Gary, Indiana, this third day of August, 1923. RANDOLPH B. HANCOCK. 

